Sign character holder



March 10, 1953 o. J. 'ERNST, JR 2,630,644

' SIGN CHARACTER HOLDER Filed Feb. 10, 1949 IN VEN TOR.

r4$1724IIIIIIIIIIIIIIJIJJJIII4 Patented Mar. 10, 1953 SIGN CHARACTER HOLDER Otto J. Ernst, Jr., Montague, Mich., assignor to Whitehall Metal Studios, Inc., Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois Application February 10, 1949, Serial No. 75,550

(Cl. 40--i42) 1 Claim.

This invention relates to certain new and use ful improvements in sign character holders such as are especially constructed and designed for holding and displaying house numbers.

In this aspect of the invention, a principal object is the provision of an arrangement whereby the characters may be mounted upon the holder in a simple and expeditious manner permitting by reason thereof the assembly of the sign characters upon the holder by one other than an experienced mechanic.

Another object of the invention is to be found in the effective manner employed by me for securely and detachably associating the sign characters upon the holder, this being accomplished by an arrangement comprising a minimum hum ber of parts, permitting, by reason thereof, economical manufacture at a minimum cost.

Other objects will appear hereinafter.

The invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The invention will be best understood by reference to the accompanying drawings showing the preferred form of construction, and in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of one form of the invention showing the same associated with an ornamental bracket supporting arm.

Fig. 2 is an elevational view of a modified form of construction.

Fig. 3 is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. t is a sectional detail view taken substantially on line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of one of the sign characters embodied in the invention, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view similar to Fig. 3, but showing a slightly modified form of construction.

The several objects of my invention are accomplished by the preferred form of construction shown in the accompanying drawings and in which my improved sign character holder is shown as comprising, in the form illustrated in Fig. 1, a plate [0 of relatively flat and elongated formation. This plate Ill may be formed of any desirable material and finished in a desired and acceptable manner.

In the present instance, I preferably suspend the plate ill from an arm I I of a bracket l2. This bracket 12 has a base l3 which is attached to a supporting structure not shown. On the arm I I, there may be mounted a suitable ornament or decoration M, such being an optional feature of the invention. In the present instance, the plate I 0 is suspended from the arm 1 I by means of pins l5 or other attaching elements secured to depending lugs IS, the latter formed as an integral part of the arm ll.

Extending longitudinally and in parallel relation with respect to the long edge portion I! of the plate I0 is a clamping bar I8. This clamping bar I8, in the form of construction shown in Fig. 1, is detachably secured to the plate In by nut-bearing bolts l9. The upper longitudinal edge portion of this clamping bar l8 provides, together with the adjacent face of the plate ID, a recess or groove 20 in which the elongated base 2:! of the sign character 22 is adapted. to be mounted. When this base 2| is mounted. in the groove 2c, the nut-bearing bolts H are tightened to clamp the bar l8 against the base 2| to firmly hold the sign character 22 in a flat position upon the plate [0 as shown in Fig. 1.

One or more of the sign characters 22 may be mounted upon the plate l0, this being optional with the user.

In Figs. 2 and 4 inclusive, I have illustrated a modified form of construction. In this form of construction, the sign character holder comprises an elongated relatively flat plate 23 adapted to be mounted flatly against a surface to which it is to be attached by means of attaching arrangements (not shown) projecting through openings 24 formed in the plate 23. This plate 23 is formed of any suitable material and is finished in any suitable or desirable manner.

The lower longitudinal edge portion 25 of this plate 23 is turned back upon itself to provide a channel 28 within which the base 2| of the sign character 22 is adapted to be mounted. The plate 23 is preferably of resilient material whereby to frictionally hold the sign character within the channel 26 in fiat position against the face of the plate 22. To prevent accidental displacement of the sign characters from position with their bases 2| mounted in the channel 26, I preferably form in the outer face of the base 2! a longitudinally extending groove 21 formed substantially concave in cross section.

The outer flange 28 of the channel 26 is likewise provided with a longitudinally extending rib 29 formed substantially concave in cross section. In mounting the sign character 22 upon the plate 23, the rib 29 will be snapped into the groove 21 to yieldably hold the sign character 22 in its properly mounted position upon the plate 23. This rib 29, in cooperation with th groove 21 functions to prevent displacement of the sign character from its position upon the plate 23.

This form of construction of the invention as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, is relatively simple and 3 by reason thereof may be manufactured at a very economical cost.

The sign characters may be formed of or coated with a phosphorus material or coating whereby the same will be illuminated in the dark.

In Fig. 6, I have illustrated a clamping bar 30 similar to that of the bar [8, but of a modified form of construction. In this form of construction, the clamping bar provides an undercut recess 3! extending longitudinally with respect thereto for the reception of the base or heel 2| of the character 22. In forming this recess 3|, there results a shoulder 34 extending longitudinally of the bar 30 and adapted to bear against the character 22.

In this bar 30 below the recess 3|, there is provided a cutout portion 35 to define a bearing shoulder 3i; adapted to bear against the face 3'? of the plate i similar to the plate 10. When the bar 3!} is attached to the plate it by means of the nut-bearing bolts 38, the bar 30 will pivot inwardly on its shoulder 36 and bear the shoulder 34 against the character 22 to securely fasten the character in place.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred form of construction for carrying the invention into effect, this is capable of variation and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention. I, therefore, do not wish to be limited to the'precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of such variations and modifications as come within the scope of the appended claim.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim as new and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

A holder for one or more sign characters each '4 having at their base an attaching bar, said holder comprising a relatively fiat elongated mounting plate against one surface of which said characters are positioned in flat confronting relation. a member extending along the lower edge of the mounting plate and providing together with the mounting plate a groove into which the attaching bar is inserted by movement of the bar in a direction transversely of the long axis of the groove, means for clamping the bar in said groove between said member and said plate, said member having formed therein at its lower end portion adjacent said plate a cut out portion providing a shoulder bearing, said clamping means extending through said cut-out portion and adapted to pivot said attaching bar inwardly of said plate on said bearing shoulder to prevent displacement of said bar from within said groove and to bear the sign characters in said fiat confronting relation with respect to said one face of the mounting plate.

OTTO J. ERNST,-JR.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

